On Wednesday June 16, 2010, Congressman Mike Simpson’s (R-ID, 2nd District) latest version of his Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act (CIEDRA) legislation was heard in the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests on Capitol Hill. We have included two links below to Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter’s testimony and Idaho Recreation Council representative Mr. Bill Dart’s testimony. Bill was there that day and did a great job on behalf of recreationists. Governor Otter requested his testimony be entered as part of the official record. Please read them both, as they contain a wealth of information. You will be proud that we have people like this on our side.

The best quote I heard on this subject came from Adena Cook of BRC in an email that afternoon in reference to Rick Johnson, Executive Director of Idaho Conservation League, regarding his testimony in support of CIEDRA’s passage. Adena stated:

“We know we’re making progress when they (Idaho Conservation League) spend precious time attacking us instead of making a case for their cause.”

SAWS has been dealing with various incarnations of CIEDRA since our inception. It has been going to Congress since 2002. This year brings the best chance CIEDRA has for passing given the current makeup of Congress and the fact that both Idaho Senators introduced CIEDRA to the Senate. This means we have to place our best foot forward in putting a stop to it.

CIEDRA will lock up approximately 330,000 acres as wilderness; land that is already protected from development by the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and the Idaho Roadless Rule. This land contains some of the best mountain snowmobiling area in Idaho and the western US, and we stand to lose it if this bill passes!

I want to keep this alert simple and to the point. Below is what we would like you to do:

Please call and/or email your senator if they are a member of the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. The message doesn’t have to be long or complicated, for example —“Idaho already has 4.5 million acres of wilderness and Idaho doesn’t need any more.” Or “The Boulder White Cloud Mountains are already well managed and protected as part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Leave them as they are.” Or “Wilderness does not protect the land it simply eliminates access to the people who have been responsibly using these mountains for decades” or “CIEDRA is not a recreation bill; it is an anti-recreation bill”.

Be polite, deliver the message and leave your name and phone number or email address.

I would not ask you to do this if it wasn’t important! Please make a call or send an email message and get everyone you know to do the same. This needs to be done as soon as possible so don’t put it off, act today. This is a time when numbers matter! I assure you those that support the legislation are making lots of contacts! Please act today and pass the message around.

Thank you for all your support, SAWS wants to keep your riding areas open for you and future generations to ride and enjoy, but we need your help to do so.

Thank you to Idaho Recreation Council and Blue Ribbon Coalition for their contributions to this alert.

Permission is granted to distribute this information in whole or in part, as long as Snowmobile Alliance of Western States (SAWS) is acknowledged as the source.If you are not yet a member of SAWS and you would like receive these alerts, please sign up on our web site at:http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/join.asp It’s FREE!!